Launch of KWS Rapid Response Unit Social Hall: EU/NRT Extends Support to Government’s Security and Anti-Poaching Efforts

CS Tourism and Wildlife Najib Balala joins children from Victors Homestead Rescue Center in dance from during the RRU Social Hall launch at KWS HQ in Isiolo, Friday 26th June.

PRESS RELEASE 26 JUNE 2020, ISIOLO KENYA

The historically marginalised region of northern Kenya is undergoing a transformation, spearheaded by local communities who are leading development projects, peace initiatives, and building sustainable economies through conservation. However, continued livestock theft, road banditry, and wildlife poaching continue to hinder conservation efforts, including tourism, peace, and other social development initiatives.

In recognition of this challenge, Northern Rangelands Trust (NRT) and its member conservancies work very closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to approach wildlife crime holistically across northern Kenya – ensuring a collaborative approach to protecting and monitoring wildlife, increasing security for communities, and preserving the unique assets upon which Kenya’s tourism relies on. To enhance this collaboration, NRT today hosted the Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Hon. Najib Balala to officially open the KWS Rapid Response Unit (RRU) Social Hall in Isiolo.

“It is from this Isiolo base that the highly-trained KWS RRU Unit responds to operations across the country. It is thus crucial that we do not just give them the training but the equipment and facilities to enable them to their jobs well,” said Balala during the launch ceremony.

“The government relies on you the communities as well to protect our wildlife heritage. I therefore want to recognize the change NRT is bringing to communities through conservation. I also want to thank the president for setting aside Ksh1 billion in the country's Covid-19 economic stimulus package to support 160 wildlife conservancies and 5,000 community scouts,” Balala said, adding that part of this package will go towards establishing a conservancy endowment fund to continuous support to conservation efforts.

The KWS RRU provides specialized operations both in protected (National Reserves, Parks, and Forests) and non-protected areas (community areas), mainly focusing on anti-poaching operations and tourist protection, across the country. The hall, which will provide a much-needed base for operational briefings as well as a space to unwind in-between operations for the mobile unit, is part of a four-year Community Policing Initiative funded by the European Union.

“We are honoured to working hand-in-hand with partners such as the European Union and the Kenya Wildlife Service and county governments to protect key wildlife ecosystems whilst transforming lives and securing peace through enhanced community policing,” said the CEO of Northern Rangelands Trust.

A brief consultation, Northern Rangelands Trust CEO, Tom Lalampaa having a word with CS. Tourism and Wildlife Najib Balala during the launch on KWS RRU Social Hall in Isiolo on Friday, 26th June 2020.

“Ours, as NRT, is to provide an enabling role that empowers communities to protect key wildlife ecosystems whilst improving their livelihoods and securing peace. It is partnerships such as this with Kenya Wildlife Service, the national and county governments, and the European Union through the Community Policing Initiative that we are able to play this role,” said Tom Lalampaa, CEO of Northern Rangelands Trust.

The Community Policing Initiative seeks to combat wildlife crime and enhance livelihood development by supporting conservancy ranger operations through training, equipment, and enhanced intelligence gathering as well as infrastructure development. The programme has so far enabled conservancies to grade 315 kilometers of road repair and 22.7 kilometers of airstrip, in addition to the setting up of modern communications and operations centers. Improved infrastructure has not only boosted security operations but also enhanced the communities’ access to markets and healthcare and tourism infrastructure and opportunities.

“The objective of the programme is to improve stability and resilience in northern Kenya through enhanced community policing capacity within the community conservancies resulting in new job opportunities and improved tourism income to local communities, ”said the Ambassador of the European Union to the Republic of Kenya, H.E. Simon Mordue.

In 2019, the 39 NRT member community conservancies provided permanent employment to 1,309 community members while spearheading a 31% increase in tourism revenue in the landscape. These community-led efforts backed by the efforts by governmental and development partners has also seen the expansion of range for elephants, enabling them to move from protected areas through community areas.

“Isiolo is rich in tourist’s attractions. Therefore, as we prepare for when the economy to open up again, we will need to continue working together to put more investment to bring more tourism income to the communities in the county” said the Governor of Isiolo County H.E. Hon. Dr. Mohamed Kuti.

During the function, Hon. Balala paid out Ksh6.7 million as part of the government compensation for community members affected by human-wildlife conflict.